


The Greatest Gift (2009)

by JennyB



Series: Advent 2009 [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Advent Challenge 2009, Developing Relationship, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-05
Updated: 2009-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for Advent Challenge 2009. Prompt: Under the Christmas tree</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Greatest Gift (2009)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [svana_vrika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/gifts).



It was a week before Christmas. Joey sighed as he stood in line at the 'Under the Tree' office, his completed paperwork clutched tightly in his hand. He was glad that most of his friends were busy until later that afternoon - it was mortifying enough being there as it was without having an audience to feel sorry for him. Even so, he was having second thoughts about registering for the program - there were people who probably deserved it more than he did, and to be honest, he did feel a little selfish asking for something he didn't absolutely _need_. But, Christmas was his favourite holiday of the year, and with the way things were, it didn't look like he was going to get much of one. Hell, he'd be lucky to still have a roof over his head come January. Every penny he'd been saving to do something nice for the holiday had been used up on other things - mostly paying his father's drunk and disorderly fines or buying plaster, wallpaper and paint to fix the resultant damages to their building as the elder male took his frustrations over the 'fucking rat-bastard cops harassing him' out on walls and doors. If only he could afford a place of his own, he'd move out when his birthday rolled around next month and leave his old man to fend for himself.

"Next!"

Joey blinked, and when he realized that it was his turn, he swallowed what was left of his pride and made his way over to the woman at the counter. "Uh, hi. I was, uh, just dropping off my paperwork for the program. Not as a volunteer, but um..." He shrugged as he trailed off.

The older woman gave him a soft smile when she heard that. "Ok, Honey," she said as she started typing on her computer. "How many children and what ages?"

Golden eyes widened in horror at that. "Fuck, lady! I don't got any kids! I'm only seventeen!"

She seemed unfazed by the outburst, but when she heard his age, her expression turned sympathetic. "Oh...I'm sorry, Sweetheart. The organization is geared toward families, but we focus on families with _young children_." She set his documentation off to the side, and reached for a pen and a scrap of paper. After a moment, she handed it to him. "The first number is for the local food bank. They can help make sure you've got something on the table, and the other is for the 'Warm Hands, Warm Hearts' program - if you're having some troubles making your rent this month, they'll make sure you're not put out on the street." She smiled softly when he took it. "Good luck, Honey."

Joey gave her a wan smile as he took the paper. "Yeah...thanks," he replied, trying his damnedest to keep the disappointment from his voice. Once he was outside, he crumpled up the note and threw it in the nearest trashcan. "Fuck," he muttered as he jammed his hands in his pockets and headed for home, completely convinced that the stinging he felt in his eyes was a direct result of the bitter wind that was blowing. Meanwhile, back in the office, the woman sighed heavily as she picked up Joey's paperwork and carried it over to the shredder. Before she could destroy the documents, a cool voice said from behind her, "I'll take that."

* * *

On Christmas morning, Joey was feeling quite glum. The night previous, his father had once again landed himself in jail on a drunk and disorderly charge. The teen didn't have the cash to pay his fine and spring him - at least, he wouldn't until the following day when he'd be able to collect his cheque. He laughed humourlessly at that. When he finally did get his old man out of the clink, he'd either get to hear about the fabulous way they fed him while he was in there, or he'd have to endure days of bitching about how useless he was. He shifted restlessly in the armchair he was sprawled across, and he briefly wondered what his friends were all doing. He was positive that none of them were so pathetic as to be watching infomercials and eating a bowl of dry Rice Krispies - milk was a luxury right now, and he'd learned some time ago that water was _not_ an acceptable substitute. Around noon, he heard a knock on his door, and he flicked his gaze in that direction for about half a second before returning his attention to the television. When another, more insistent knock came, he shouted, "We gave at the office. Fuck off!" The third time, the blond scowled and got to his feet, now ready to give whoever it was a piece of his mind. As he flung open the door, he exploded with, "Are you fucking retarded or are you just - _Kaiba_?"

"Nice," the brunet replied with a smirk. "How long have you been saving that one up?"

Joey's cheeks pinked, and he looked away from the handsome teen. "I didn't mean it like that, and -" He paused when he heard the soft chuckle, and he growled lowly. "Shut up! Don't be such a dick; it's Christmas!"

An elegant brow arched at that. "Is it? Truly, I had no idea."

"You're such -" Joey paused and frowned slightly when he saw the smirk widen just a little. "What are you doing here?" he asked hesitantly. "I mean, I didn't think you knew where I lived."

"You'd be surprised what I know. And I'm here to invite you to Christmas dinner with Mokuba and me." His gaze travelled slowly over the blond's body, taking note of the pyjamas. "I probably should have called first."

The blond blushed again, and he said quietly, "Yeah, well...thanks, Kaib'. Really. But I don't take charity."

A slight frost settled in the sapphire eyes to mask his disappointment, and Seto narrowed his gaze. "Liar."

Joey seemed taken aback by that. "W-what?" He tried to sound indignant, but instead it came out with more of an incredulous edge to it.

"It's not that you won't take it. You just won't take it from _me_." His frown deepened. "I know you were turned down for the Under the Tree program." He snorted a little. "Not that my invitation had anything to do with charity in the first place - but whatever. Seeing as how you already have spectacular _plans_ and all, I won't keep you any longer." He took a pace back and turned to leave.

Amber eyes widened in surprise, and he said hurriedly, "Kaiba, wait!" Joey stepped out into the hall, and he looked up at the taller teen. "How the hell did you even know about that? The program is supposed to maintain confidentiality! And -"

"KaibaCorp is one of the biggest sponsors of the program, and I volunteer by helping to keep on top of some of the paperwork. I was there the day you came in."

The blond's mouth worked silently for a moment, and then he asked hesitantly, "So...if you're not here because you saw my application, then why are you inviting me to dinner?"

The brunet rolled his eyes and he smirked. "God, you really can be dense sometimes," he replied. "Fire a neuron and think about it for a minute, yeah? Now, if you're coming, how long do you need to get ready? I need to get back to the house before Mokuba finishes off that pound box of fudge and winds up making himself sick."

"I, uh..." He glanced down at himself. "I need a shower. But I won't be long, and then I have to get dressed - I _think_ I've still got clean clothes - and -"

"Go!" Seto interrupted, and he snickered when he seemed to snap the other out of his verbal musing.

"Right. I'll be fif - no, _twenty_ minutes. Maybe less. There's coffee in the pot, if you want it."

"Pass. Just hurry up." Seto snorted in amusement when the blond turned around and nearly slammed into the wall, and when he heard the sound of the shower running a moment later, he closed the door behind him and folded his arms loosely across his chest. 

When Joey skidded back into the foyer twenty minutes later, he was dressed in jeans and a cream coloured sweater. "'kay. I'm ready," he panted as he worked to cram his feet into his sneakers. As he straightened, he asked, "You sure about this, Kaib'?"

The brunet shook his head bemusedly. "Do you really think I'd be here if I wasn't?" He paused as he watched the other slip on his thin jean jacket, and then he wordlessly stepped out into the hallway. Neither one said much until they were settled in the brunet's black Cadillac SRX.

"Hey, Kaib'? It's almost one."

"Mm hmm. So?"

"Well, uh...isn't it a little early to be eating dinner? It's more like lunchtime."

Seto smirked. "I never said we were eating right away, did I?" The smirk widened when he saw the blond pink again. "It's a social day, is it not? Greater than the sum of its drumsticks and all that?"

"Shut up," Joey replied, but he did laugh a bit as he said it. "You're such an asshole."

"What can I say? You bring out my best character traits."

Laughing harder, the blond flipped him off, and then he relaxed back against the leather seat. He liked this Kaiba. This wasn't the usual, stuck-up, standoffish prick he usually saw, and he welcomed the change. He just hoped it lasted; after seeing this side of the brunet, he wasn't sure he wanted to have to deal with the bastard part anymore. He saw the imposing iron gates that led to the mansion come into view, and he sat up straight again, feeling his excitement growing. Once inside, he handed his jacket to Kaiba, and then followed him into the parlour, his eyes widening when he saw the decorations. The room was all done in clear LEDs and red velvet bows, and the crystal ornaments on the tree refracted the light in a prism effect, scattering bits of colour everywhere. Fresh pine boughs adorned the mantle, their crisp scent filling the room, and from somewhere else in the house, there was the smell of roasting turkey, cinnamon and chocolate. "Oh, wow!"

"Joey!" Mokuba called as he joined the older two teens. He'd heard the front door, and after refilling his hot chocolate cup, he'd come to say hello. "Merry Christmas," he said, and then he turned to his brother. "Can we do presents _now_ , Seto?"

The brunet snorted in amusement. "Yes, go. You know damned well that ninety-nine percent of them are for you anyway." As the raven tore into his virtual treasure trove, he turned to the blond. "Want something to drink?" He smiled a bit when he saw the hesitation on the other's face. "Name something. We probably have it. I'm having cranberry juice and peach seltzer water."

"That sounds...interesting," Joey replied, and then he laughed when he saw Mokuba buried in a sea of paper and ribbons. "Hey, you even looking at what you're opening, Kiddo?"

The boy gave him a very Kaiba-esque smirk. "Of course." And he then proceeded to rattle off a list of items - just in case the older two hadn't been paying attention himself to the goings-on.

"Damn," Joey whistled. "Quite the haul."

"Mm hmm. And I've got one more." He tore off the wrappings, and sighed. "Underwear. Useful, but hardly the ending I'd been hoping for." With that, he got to his feet, hugged his brother in thanks, and then scooped up a handful of video games to go try.

"Brat," Seto said as he set the drinks down on the coffee table, and then he started to gather up the errant wrappings and trimmings that had been discarded in his brother's manic frenzy. "It was like watching a shark at feeding time, wasn't it?" he remarked, and then he chuckled a little as he put another wad of paper into the large carton he was using for the garbage.

Joey grinned at the comment, and nodded. "It was something, that's for damned sure." He slipped off the couch and joined the other in cleaning up, figuring that two sets of hands would make the job go quicker. A soft smile curved his lips upwards as he worked. He could finally understand why Mokuba staunchly defended his older brother. Kaiba wasn't as cold as he let everyone believe. He was just...careful. And he could respect that. After all, the brunet was in the public eye all the time. It made sense that he'd want to keep his private life out of the spotlight. He sat down on the rug once they'd finished, and he picked up his drink. Taking a sip, he let his gaze travel over the elegant tree once more. Suddenly, he frowned a little and set his glass back on its coaster. "Hey, Kaib'? Mokuba missed a couple." He nodded toward the tree, under which lay three small gifts - all of them still wrapped.

"I assure you, he didn't," Seto replied with a smirk. "I know what he got, and he got it all. Besides, do you honestly think he'd miss one? Hell, he found the small box with the pack of batteries in it."

The blond gave him a wry smile in return. "Yeah, probably not."

Blue eyes sparkled impishly, and he said, "Since you're down there anyway, why don't you see what they are?"

Joey hesitated for a moment, a confused frown furrowing his brow when he saw the look. "Uh, ok..." He crawled over to the tree and picked up the packages, amber eyes widening when he saw the tags. "They're for me!"

"Really? How very odd," Seto replied, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upward. Picking up their drinks, he moved over to join the fair-haired teen on the carpet. He snorted in amusement when the other passed the packages to him. "What the hell are you giving them to me for? They're addressed to you."

"You didn't have to get me a present, Kaib'."

"I didn't. They very clearly say from Santa Claus."

Joey smiled a bit at that. "Yeah, they do." He started to unwrap the first one at the brunet's insistence. "Weird how Santa Claus has the same handwriting as you."

Seto snickered. "Well, he's bankrolled by KaibaCorp..."

The blond laughed at that. "You know, it wouldn't surprise me if he was." His eyes lit up in delight when he saw an iPod. "Awesome! Thanks, Kaiba!" He set the package aside to look at later, not wanting to appear rude in front of his host. The next box held a pair of supple black leather gloves, and a gift card to the local department store for the purchase of a winter coat. Joey grinned, even as he pinked a little. The brunet had bought the three things he'd had on his 'wish list'.

When Joey unwrapped the third box, Seto put a hand on his to stop him from opening it. "This one, I wasn't sure about. It's presumptuous of me, and if you don't want it, I'll understand." With that, he withdrew and gave the other a small smile. "I'm not sure you'll like it."

The blond's heart raced in his chest when he felt the warm skin on his own, and swallowing thickly, he nodded. Exhaling slowly when he was given the green light to proceed, he lifted the lid, only to frown in confusion when he saw that it was empty. "Kaib'?"

The brunet shifted a little closer. "Let me see..." When Joey put the box in his hand, he smiled uncertainly. "Ah, here it is."

"Where?"

When the blond leaned over to look, Seto lightly grasped the other's chin with his fingertips, and he leaned in to give him a soft kiss. Despite its brevity, it was warm and honest, and after a moment, Seto sat back, his long lashes fanned out over his cheeks as he slowly ran his tongue over his lower lip. "So, is it something you think you might like to have?" he asked quietly.

Amber eyes were wide in shock and surprise, but after a few moments, he smiled. "Yeah. It's something I'd wanted, but I never thought I'd actually have one."

"I'm glad to hear that," Seto said. "I've wanted one for a while, too. I thought you might have guessed when I picked you up back at your apartment." He chuckled softly. "I guess now you know why I invited you to dinner."

"Oh...yeah," Joey replied with a sheepish chuckle. "But - why didn't you say anything before now?"

The brunet shrugged. "I figured that if you were going to turn me down, the spirit of the holiday would compel you to be...gentler about it. Plus, I knew there was less chance of being interrupted by Yugi or the others today."

The blond couldn't help but smirk. It was coldly logical and yet showed a sweetly vulnerable side to the other, too. "Fuck, but that makes sense." He sat there for a few moments, just quietly watching the other teen, and then he asked, "How long do you figure it is before we eat?"

Seto blinked in surprise at the question, but glanced down at his watch. "Maybe an hour or two?"

"Perfect," Joey said as he shifted a little closer to the brunet. "Plenty of time for me to check out my new gifts, yeah?"

Seto smiled at that, and he nodded slowly. "Mm hmm. Most definitely." And with that, he slipped his arms around the blond's waist and pulled him into his lap, more than willing to show the other everything he wanted to see.


End file.
